Implanting anchors with sutures attached is performed in a variety of different situations, for example in arthroscopic hip labrum surgery or when re-attaching tissue to bone in rotator cuff surgery. Currently, anchoring sutures in bone can be a difficult process given the fine control required over suture strands, the desire to ensure that anchors are safely secured in bone, and the minimally-invasive nature of many applicable surgeries. Because of the challenges presented by securing anchors in bone while manipulating the suture strands, suture anchors are often designed to be larger than would be desirable due to, e.g., the addition of threading around exterior surfaces of anchors and/or the need to secure the suture to the anchor.
Decreasing the size of suture anchors can allow more precise control in certain anatomical situations, such as placing anchors in the acetabulum during hip labrum repair or reconstruction surgery and/or to prevent loss of valuable room in a surgical site. For example, there can be interference between threading on adjacent anchors if sufficient space is not provided for by the surgeon or allowed for at a particular surgical site. However, it has been difficult to reduce anchor size due to the fine control required over suture strands and the desire to add threading to anchors to ensure a secure placement in bone.
Accordingly, there remains a need for improved devices, systems, and methods for anchoring sutures.